Brawl turns in Lions’ favor

San Beda nailed its first win in the 78th NCAA basketball tournament on a bizarre note– rival Philippine Christian University forfeiting the game in the aftermath of a "basket-brawl " that left only seven men on the hardcourt.

The Red Lions, finally coming out in a highly competitive form, actually enjoyed a 79-60 lead when the melee erupted with 6:20 left in the contest. The final and official count read 20-0, after the Dolphins decided to abandon their cause.

PCU coach Jimmy Mariano saw no reason continuing the game with only two players – Bernzon Franco and Jojo Roque – in tow as against San Beda’s five – Arjun Cordero, Jeff Bombeo, James Hudencial, Jerome Paterno and Saleh Youself.

All but these seven players were thrown out of the game after the bench-clearing incident sparked by Lion Erl Merelos’ fight with Dolphins Robert Sanz, Nelson Gatdula and Alwyn Ilagan. The four will likely draw suspension, too.

Ejected with Merelos, Sanz, Gatdula and Ilagan were PCU’s Irvin Hawk, Loreto Soriano, Franklin Flora, Leo Gaspi, Arden Guiyab, Jamil Acraman, Al Dais, Jericho Gementiza and Ken Senining and San Beda’s Erwin Velasco, Raymond Tolentino, Alexander Angeles, Marvin Baldivia, Raymar Gutilban, Carlo Weber, Timothy Ong, Marco Arbole and Adrianne Wong for leaving the bench during the fight.

Mariano blamed the referees for failing to control the rugged game that led to the free-for-all.

The loss relegated PCU (6-2) to second place, leaving St. Benilde alone at the helm with a 7-1 win-loss card.

The Blazers bounced back from a humbling loss to the Dolphins the last time out with a 70-60 rout of the Perpetual Help Altas earlier in the day.

Taking charge as usual, Sunday Salvacion keyed a decisive third-quarter run that paved the way for the Blazers’ breeze at the finish.

Alex Magpayo picked up from where Salvacion left off in the fourth quarter, hitting a pair of three-pointers in a fiery assault that had St. Benilde leading by as many as 21 points at 64-43.

The Altas staged a rally in the fourth quarter but ran out of time in their comeback bid, suffering their seventh loss against a solitary win.